DESTRUCTIVE CLIMATE CHANGE

LINGAYEN–Massive flooding due to incessant rains spawned by Typhoons “Inday” and “Josie” exacted heavy tolls in agriculture and infrastructure in Pangasinan, according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).

Rhodyn Luchinvar Oro, PDRRMO officer, and also spokesperson, said initial damages as of July 26 totaled more than P1.3 billion, and most affected were agriculture, livestock and fisheries, amounting to P850 million.

Damage to barangay and provincial roads, and bridges, and other structures was initially estimated at P500 million.

There were 15 roads and bridges in central and western Pangasinan that were rendered impassable by the flood.

As of July 25, Dagupan City, parts of Binmaley, Calasiao and San Carlos City were still flooded due to high tide and floodwater from a collapsed earth dike in Alibago, Sta. Barbara.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said they can only start repairing the breached portion of the Alibago dike when the flood subsides.

Due to massive flood that affected 29 towns, a state of calamity was declared by the cities of Dagupan and San Carlos, Mangatarem, Sta, Barbara and Calasiao on July 21; the province of Pangasinan was declared in a state of calamity by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on July 23.

These declarations enabled local government units to draw five percent of their disaster risk reduction funds to directly assist their respective constituents.

As of July 25, relief operations were still on going in affected areas. The food packages made available by LGUs, were boosted by food packages from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The PDRRMO said 386 barangays in 29 towns and cities that were underwater affected 29,323 families comprising 639,178 persons.

Some 65 evacuation centers that accommodated 2,342 families comprising of 10,158 persons were established in severely flooded areas while 2,534 families or 11,981 persons sought shelter in homes of their relatives.

The floodwater that inundated 386 barangays came from the rains and upstream of the Sinocalan River. The San Roque dam in San Manuel never opened its gates as elevation of water from its reservoir was still way below the spilling level of 280 meters above sea level.

Worst hit areas were Dagupan City, Calasiao, Sta, Barbara, San Carlos City and Mangatarem.

But as of July 25, the flood in more than 50 barangays already subsided.

Among the bridges damaged by the flood were the bridge in Aguilar that forced buses going to Dagupan from Camiling, Tarlac to make a detour to Mangatarem to Urbiztondo, San Carlos City then to either Binmaley or Calasiao, by passing Bugallon, Lingayen and Binmaley.

Other damaged bridges were the Garrita Bridge in Bani, Macaboboni Sitio Abagatanen Sabang, Abagatanen Bridge in Agno, Bangan Oda Sitio Palayopat road, also in Agno; Dimmayat Bridge in Alaminos; Lasip Road in Calasiao; Castillo Road Oraan East in Manaoag; Bani-Agno Road, Cayungan Section in Agno; Urdaneta junction Dagupan-Lingayen Road via Zambales Lucao-Tapuac Section-Perez Boulevard; Urdaneta Junct. Dagupan Road via Perez; Urdaneta Junction Dagupan via Tarlac Road Caranglaan-Mayombo section;

Urdaneta junction Dagupan Minien East Section, Matic-matic section, Bued section and San Miguel section; Pangasinan-Nueva Ecija Road in Balincanaoay, Rosales; Balococ section, Bacaba section and Lingayen Capitol Loop; Calasiao Road: Bued, Gabon and San Miguel sections; Urdaneta via Zambales road from YMCA to CSI Lucao Tapuac; and Camiling-Wawa Bayambang, Malasiqui-Sta. Barbara Road Bogtong section. (Leonardo Micua)

 

UPDATE: DAGUPAN, CALASIAO STILL FLOODED

AS of 11:00 a.m. on July 27, the flood in all the affected barangays in Pangasinan have already subsided, except those in Dagupan and Calasiao, and a few in Lingayen.

This was contained in the Situational Report of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) headed by Rhodyn Luchinvar Oro.

There are still 25 barangays inundated in Dagupan whose situation was being exacerbated by the daily occurrence of high tide.

In Calasiao, there are still 19 barangays that are flooded while two barangays still submerged in Lingayen.

Evacuees in other towns affected by the flood have returned to their homes except those in Dagupan and Calasiao.

There are still an estimated 600 families composed of some 10,000 individuals who remained at various evacuation centers in Dagupan.

The biggest evacuation center in Dagupan was the Dagupan People’s Astrodome which is now packed by 244 families, comprising of 985 individuals.

There are still 343 families or 1,508 persons at the Calasiao Sports Complex.

Classes remained suspended for more than a week now in Dagupan following an executive order of Mayor Belen Fernandez. (Leonardo Micua)

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